A wireless LAN service refers to a service for providing communication by constructing a network environment from an access point (AP) to each of one or more mobile stations (MSs) using wireless signals instead of using a wired cable. The wireless LAN service can compensate for network construction vulnerability of existing communication technologies. Existing mobile communication networks are advantageous with respect to mobility and transmission coverage, but the communication speed of typical mobile communication networks is inferior to a wired network. Bluetooth is a specific wireless technology that is very useful within a space of several meters centering on a user's working space, but is typically inferior for mobility or coverage. Conversely, a wired network has excellent communication speed performance, but does not provide assurance for mobility because physical LAN cabling is essential.
In comparison between a wireless LAN service and other communication technologies as above, a wireless LAN is excellent for mobility compared to a wired network and exhibits fast communication speeds compared to a mobile communication network, and may cover a relatively wider area than Bluetooth. Accordingly, due to these merits, the wireless LAN service is being widely used by Internet users, and its related technology is also the focus of recent development.
In the wireless LAN service, an AP is installed in a nationwide service area such that a user may wireless access the AP using a client (i.e., a client terminal), and each AP provides a wireless LAN service and connects to an authentication server for authenticating the user. The user accesses an AP installed in a wireless LAN service area using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a notebook computer, and the like, and uses the Internet through an authentication procedure of the authentication server. Also, the AP may be also a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) sharing device that a user installs in a home.
In the general wireless LAN service, an AP is installed in a service area and sends a wireless signal to induce an access of a client terminal. If there is an access request from the client terminal, the AP just plays an access point role with the client terminal of accepting the request, and does not perform a function making the most of a regional characteristic of the AP.
That is, the AP is installed in the specific service area and plays an access point role of allowing a user who has moved to the specific service area to use the Internet in the specific service area. However, the general wireless LAN service could not provide a service using the regional characteristic of the AP besides using the AP for playing the access point role for communication.
Peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, a home electronic device, an Internet gateway, and the like) (hereinafter, referred to as ‘Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices’) connect to an AP by means of a UPnP function, but there is an inconvenience that a user has to execute Web browsing in order for the user to identify information on the UPnP devices connected to the AP.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method, an apparatus and a system for pushing information taking a regional characteristic of a wireless LAN AP into consideration or information on a UPnP device connecting to the AP.